Method and apparatus for delivering viscous glass



Oct. 19 1926.

0. M. TUCKER ET AL METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DELIVERING VISCOUS GLASS o iFiled August 12, 1918 w M. w W.

ATTORNEY Patented Oct. .19, 1926.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OLIVER M. TUCKER AND WILLIAM A. REEVES, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIGNORS, BY

MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO 'HARTFORD-EMPIRE COMPANY, OF HARTFORD, CON-NECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE. I

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DELIVERING- VISCOUS GLASS.

Original application filed August 12, 1918, Serial No. 249,421. Dividedand this application filed September 29, 1924. Serial No.'740,479.

Our invention relates to a method and apparatus for delivering viscousglass. It has particular reference to such a spout in connection with aglass furnace, being primarily designed to meet certain requirements inthe production of en bloc charges preformed as to shape and dimensionsand the dropping and settling of such charges right side up in the moldswhere they are to be further treated.

. Others have devised spouts which deliver viscous glass from furnace tomold and others have provided means for heating the glass in suchspouts. But, the production of preformed charges and the proper depositthereof calls for certain accuracies that are only attainable by specialmeasures of control. For instance, glass being delivered through a spoutfrequently develops strata of different temperatures and, if thiscondi-.

t-ion persistsin the glass being actually delivered from the deliveryorifice of the spout,

the charges will frequently curve, becauseone side is colder than theother or will be otherwise of uneven consistency. Then, the curvedcharges will not properly settle in their molds while the unevenconsistency will prevent proper subsequent treatment, as by blowingthin, et cetera. These are merely examples of numerous defects due toimproper temperature control.. Our invention contemplates providing aspout structure which is thoroughly insulated and then equipping suchspout with means whereby the temperature of both the' spout interior andthe glass may be efliciently regulated.

Thus, regardless of variations in furnace conditions, we have devised anovel apparatus for further regulating the temperature; of the glass inthe spout orifice just prior to being discharged and thereby effectingthe delivery of mold charges of viscons glass of chosen quantity,quality and uniformity. In this way, we have taken the handling of glassone step further away from formerly existing limitations inherent in theproblem of extracting viscous" glass from furnaces whose internalconditions are in-' evitably ever-changing. 1 This application is adivision of our cogending application, filed August 12, 1918,

erialNo, 249,421, a method and apparat The preferred embodimentof ourinvent1on is shown 1n the accompanying drawings whereln:

r l Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of our of. The top, bottom, sidesand ends of the spout are thoroughly insulated as at 4.

We have provided several means, additional to the insulation, forcontrolling the internal temperature. ofthe spout and the temperature ofthe glass at different points in such spout. In the first place, boththe channel and the hood of the spout are enlarged at their receivingend, as at 5. This facilitates inlet of the glass and the heat [currentsfrom the glass furnace. More important, still, the wide channel for theglass results in slow movement of the glass at this point and we utilizethis condition for temperature regulation before the glass passes intothe heavily insulated narrow channel. Thus, before the glass reaches thedelivery orifice where it has a more rapid movement, it has ample timefor any heated and chilled strata appearing in the glass to diffuse andthus permit the delivery of charges of any desired uniform temperatureand consistency. From its wide portion, the spout tapers toward itsdelivery end where it is 7 provided with a valve-controlled draft flueor chimney 6 which is also lined with refractory and insulatingmaterial. This flue is located in the top portion and at the 81(- tremeend of the spout 'nose to assist in drawing the heat currents from thefurnace through the spout, above'and in direct contact with the glass inthe spout. Thus by maintaining the glass at a more uniform temperatureand consistencyit passes through the spout with a minimum amount ofwall-friction and the flow is more readily controlled.

u The walls of the spout .areprovided with a channel which is shown at 7as extending around three sides of the spout adjacent the juncture ofthe spout with the furnace and which may be fed with a heating orcooling fluid from below as at 8. In the form shown these channelsdeliver into the space 5 (Fig: 1) and the heating or cooling fluid,preferably a gas may be so delivered as to commingle with the heatcurrents from the furnace so as to directly modify the effect of suchcurrents upon the glass and wall surfaces and, in time, to modify theeffect of the wall surfaces upon the glass. It will be obvious that thechannel 7 may be ramified to various points in thewalls of the spout.However, it is an im ortant fact of our invent-ion that we positivelyinfluence the temperature of the glass verynear the moment when itenters the spout, and by providing a relatively long narrow taperingspout, ample opportunity is afforded for diffusion of the impressedtemperature during the time the glass travels to the delivery orifice.An air seal space 20 is provided in the furnace walls at the juncture ofthe spout walls with those of the furnace.

The walls of the spout are also provided with ports 9 which are arrangedobliquely therein and located so as to direct heating or cooling blastsin'opp'osite directions to the area above the upper surface of the glassin the spout. Furthermore, our invention contemplates the provision of aport 10 located 35. in a removable cover block 11, which encloses a partofthe topof the spout nose. This port is located in the block so as todirect heating or cooling medium within the nose and in direct contactwith the glass adjacent to the delivery orifice. This cover block, whichmay be properly designated a burner block, is movably mounted so that itmay be read il replaced when damaged, and also to vprovl e'a ready meansto permit inspection of the interior of the spout.

In the operation of apparatusembodying our inv ent-ion, molten glasshaving received its initial heat in the furnace is conducted throughthebody portion of the spout 1 toward the delivery orifice 3 and uponits entry into the spout, the temperature of the glass is partia lycontrolled by the application of a heating or cooling medium distributed.by means of the conduit 7 located in the bottom and side walls of thespout. The'tempera-ture of the glass may then be further controlled bysuitable burners directing a heating. flame to the interior of the spoutby means of the ports 9 located in the side walls of the spout. Theapplication of these temperature controlling agencies maintains". therelatively large volume of flowing glass at a substantially uniformtemperature, but as the volume of' glass" in the forward portion of thespout is comparatlvely small, 1t is more su p leto tem- .prevent theglass from channeling or developing strata of different consistencies.

The desired temperature of the glass at the outlet is maintained bylocating the burner port 10 and its associated burner in the top portionof the spout, so that it is adapted to direct a heating medium forwardlyand downwardly on the glass adjacent to the outlet. The arrangement issuch that the flames from the burner port 10'are projected downwardly,directly on the glass and further control of this heating flame isobtained by the draft damper located in the flue. The flue is preferablylaced near the burner so that when the burner is delivering a suitableflame, slight changes of temperature in the glass may be compensated forby regulating the damper to regulate the draft-and thus control theenabled to control the temperature of the glass discharged from thespout orifice with a greater accuracy than has been accomplished byheating apparatus heretofore employed.

Thus, the temperature of the glass and spout walls at every point isunder positive control'and this control is so complete that the glassmay be brought to the delivery orifice at any desired uniformconsistency and at any rate of movement within chosen limits.

In addition, we have a means for intermittently stopping feed of theglass from the delivery orifice of the spout, which means takes the formof a cup 12- movable into and out of closing relation to the bottom endof the spout orifice; When in position, gas under pressure i-s'fed tothe cup and burned therein while the cup is closed with the exception ofan extremely" small outlet for the products of combustion, so that anintense heat is applied to the clay bushing 3.

From this it will be seen that the glass in the spout is subject tocomplete temperature control, from the moment, it enters until it leavesthe spout. In our method, these temperature controls are desirablyutilized to insure a uniform temperature and rate of movementat thedelivery orifice. A large partof the uniformity of temperature and rateof movement is attributable to the insulation upon thespout for itgreatly enhances surety of control, although the various features ofcontrol are all important.

' 'It has been pointed out'above, and it is particularly noted ascharacterizing our in! .vention that thetemperatur'e of the glass at thedischarge ou letrf'the spout is controlled by the novel arrangement andlocation-of the heating and ventilatin apparatus employed. The appendedclaims are to be understood as embodying these characteristics. It willbe understood that our invention is not restricted to the use of'theparticular apparatus details disclosed herein, and that no limitationsareto be imposed from a furnace comprising a body portion 1 with adelivery aperture therein, a removable cover block closing the top ofthe spout adjacent to the delivery aperture, said block having a portlocated therein, and means associated with the port for directing aflame forwardly and downwardly into the spout.

3. A spout for delivering viscous glass from a furnace comprising achannel portion with a delivery outlet in the forward bottom portionthereof, a removable burner block closing the top of the spout and hav-ving a port displaced to one side of the delivery outlet, means fordirecting a heating flame through said port downwardly and forwardlyupon the surface of the glass at the outlet, and achimney in the topwall adjacent to the burner block for removing products of combustionupwardly from the surface of the glass.

4. A spout for delivering .viscous glass from a. furnace comprising abody portion with a delivery aperture therein, a removable burner blockadjacent the delivery opening and arranged to form a cover section forthe spout, means for supplying a temperature-modifying fluid, said blockhaving a port located so as to direct the temperature-modifying fluidforwardly and downwardly into the nose of the spout and above the glasslevel, achimney located adjacent to the cover section, and meansassociated with the chimney for controlling the draft in the spout,whereby the temperature effect of the fluid on the glass may beregulated.

5.- A spout for delivering viscous glass from a furnace comprising aglass channel portion wlth a delivery aperture therein, a removableburner block located near the forward end of the spout and forming acover section therefor, means for s11 pl ing a temperatureemodifyingfluid, said bliit'k having a port located so as to direct thetemperature-modifying fluid'forwardly and down 'Wardly on the glassadjacent to the outlet, a chimney located adjacent to the cover section,and a damper associated with the chimney for controlling the draft inthe spout whereby the temperature effect of the fluid on the glass maybe regulated.

6. A spout for delivering viscous glass from a furnace comprising aglass channel with a delivery aperture therein, and having a removableburner block section closing the top portion of the spout intermediateits length; means associated with the block for directing thetemperature modifying medium forwardly and downwardly to the glass inthe spout, and means located adjacent to the burner block for permittingthe medium to be withdrawn upward from tliespout to regulate thetemperature of the glass at the outlet.

7. In a spout for delivering viscous glass from a furnace comprising abody portion, a valve-controlled chimney at the forward end of saidspout, a port located adjacent to the chimney and adapted to direct atemperature-modifying medium downwardly and .forwardly into the spout,and means associated with the chimney for regulating the flow of thetemperature medium from the. spout.

8. A spout for delivering viscous glass from a furnace comprising aglass channel portion having a submerged outlet at the forward endthereof, means for directing a 1 temperature-modifying fluid into the.spout at a point intermediate the length thereof and forwardly anddownwardly of the spout, and a valve-controlled chimney at the forwardend of the spout to regulate the flow of temperature-modifying fluid byremoving the said fluid from the surface of the glass at the outlet.

9. A spout for delivering viscous glass from a furnace comprising a bodyportion with a bottom wall, side walls and a top wall, a removable coverblock forming a portion of the top wall, said block having a portlocated therein andadapted to direct a supply of temperature-modifyingfluid downwardly and forwardly into the spout at a point intermediate.the length of said spout, a chimney located at the forward end of thespout and communicating therewith. and a damper located in the chimneyfor regulating the temperature effect of themodifying fluidindependently of the supply.

10. A spout for delivering viscous glass from a furnace comprising arelatively long narrow body portion having a bottom wall, side walls,and a top wall, a discharge out-. let in the bottom wall, a removableburner bloek'forming a part of the top wall and having a port forintroducing a tempera tum-m dify ng fluid into the spout at a pointintermediate the length of saidspout,

and a valve controlled chimne spout for regularly drawing saitare-modifying fluid upward from the glass I at the outlet.

' 11. A spopt for delivering viscous glass from a furnace comprising abody portion ,with a delivery aperture therein, a removable cover blockclosing the top of the spout adjacent the delivery aperture, said blockhaving a port therein. which is adapted to direct temperature-modifyingfluid forwardly anddownw'ar'dly into said spout and to the glassadjacent to said delivery aperture, and meansalso located at the forwardend of the spout for directing the fluid upwardly from the glass at theoutlet.

12. A spout for delivering viscous glass from a furnace comprising abody portion with a delivery aperture therein, a removable cover blockclosing the top of the spout ad-' jacent to the delivery aperture, saidblock having a port located therein, means associated with the port fordirecting a flame forwardly and downwardly into the spout, and a draftregulator located in the top wall of the spout for directing the flameupwardly from the glass for regulating the temperature effect of, theflame on the glass.

13. The method of controlling the temperature of molten glass in a spouthaving a discharge outlet which comprises the steps of flowing the glassthrough the spout, and; directing a temperature-controlling medium,

downwardly and forwardlyonithe glass ad ,jacent to the outlet and thenceupwardly from the glass.

1 4. The method of coritro lling the temv perature of molten glass in aspout having a discharge outlet which comprises the steps of flowing theglass through the spout, supplying heat to the glass during-its passagethrough the spout, and directing a temperature-controlling mediumdownwardly and forwardly on the glass adjacent to the outlet and thenceupwardly from the glass.

15. The method of controlling the temperature of molten glass in a spouthaving a discharge outlet which comprises the steps of flowing the glassthrough the spout, supplying heat to the glass during its passagethrough the spout, and directing a heating flame downwardly andforwardlyto the surface of the glass adjacent to the outlet and then upwardlyfrom the glass.

16. The method of controlling the temperature of molten glass in aspouthaving a discharge outlet which comprlses the steps of flowing theglass through the spout, supplying heat to the glass during its passagethrough the spout, directing a heating flame downwardly and forwardly tothe surface of the glass adjacent to the outlet and then upwardly fromthe glass, and regulating the temperature effect of the flameindependently of the source of said flame.

H 17 The method'of controlling the temperature of molten glass in aspout connected to a glass melting tank, whichcomprises supplying atemperaturemod1fy1 ng medium to the spout by directing the mediumdownwafidly and forwardly along the surface of the,glass. and thenceupwardly from the surface thereof.

In testimony whereof, we hereby aifix ou-r signatures.

OLIVER M. TUCKER. WILLIAM A. REEVES.-

